Wednesday, February 9, 2011

I Made NoTill Work

I made no till work, at least in the minds of others.

We had a really good meeting in Harrisonburg Virginia Yesterday. I spoke three times as we shared how to make no till work and work better.

I had lots of interesting people come up and offer me their stories, much like what we have in the Ohio River Valley but there they have drier soil and lots of people next door. It reminded me of Warren and Clermont Counties and Boone County Kentucky.

When you get that many people near farms they love the farms but don't understand how we farm.

We protect the precious land but they see the news and think we are raping it. We aren't or we would be out of business.

Just as I thought, they still use that big disk blade called the coulter on their no till planters and I told them throw it off like I finally learned to do the the 90's. Well, it came on the planter and I paid for it, why can't I use it?

You sure can but you will too long for the soil to dry out and miss your optimum planting window like we did for decades if not centuries.

When they saw my pictures taken north of them I think they wondered why they couldn't do that south of me in warmer, drier soil.

I heard every excuse I was taught, it's too, early, it's too cold, the slugs will take you. You don't have slugs they exclaimed? Not enough to hurt me I replied. Plant no till, plant early and scout your crop, that is what I answered.

That is the same message I share everywhere I go.

Farming is an old culture and the foundation of modern society. I love it.

It was great to meet Delmarva and all the NewAgTalkers at this conference.